Where We Began
by xenex
Summary: My little take on how Yondaime met the kyuubi and how the story all began. A summary for this is actually difficult without giving the story away so please R&R.
1. Part 1: Chapter 1

It was a beautiful spring afternoon and all seemed well in the forest surrounding the Hidden Village of Leaf. Birds were chirping, squirrels were running amok, and a certain boy with hair as yellow as the sun was enjoying a nice nap in a tree. A clear sky and a nice breeze were enough to keep him happy. Who would have thought such a young boy, no more than eight years of age, was growing up in the middle of a war?

The boy opened his eyes, finally waking from his sweet dream to reenter his cold reality. Life was indeed hard for him, but the war his village was involved in was the least of his worries. When he was no more than a few months old, he had been left at the entrance of Konoha. Abandoned by parents he would never know, nor would he ever wish to know, he was passed from family to family in the hopes of finding a suitable home, but no family would keep him for more than a few weeks. Most were suspicious of his mysterious arrival while others were frightened by his quick growth, both in body and mind. Even the noble Uchiha and Hyuuga clans refused to take him in permanently for fear he would discover certain secrets as he grew older.

Sadly, not wanting to put the child through any more rejection, the Third Hokage granted him a stipend to live off of and had him moved into his own apartment. This did nothing for the loneliness he felt inside. It pained him to see parents walking with their children around the village or siblings playing in the park. Other children his age avoided him in the same manner their parents did and he was rarely asked to play games. The poor blond was not very good at holding back and after winning at every game the children could come up with, they decided to just not invite him anymore.

Then there was the matter of joining the ninja academy. He could have entered at five and passed with flying colors. However, he saw no reason to serve the village in that capacity and refused to enter. Why should he become a ninja and fight for a village that took him in only to make him feel unwelcome? He never remembered doing anything to deliberately ridicule the villagers, though his very existence seemed to accomplish this.

The boy clapped his hands to his cheeks in an attempt to free himself from his own thoughts. The day was too good to waste overwhelming himself with life's injustice. He looked down at the rapid river and decided to go for a swim. Sure the current was dangerous and anyone with an ounce of intelligence would know better than to test its waters, but the boy was feeling particularly foolish. Just as he finished taking off his tan sweater, he noticed a head rise above the water and then quickly sink below the surface.

'Is that what I think it is?'

Not giving himself time to think further, he rushed to the rivers edge and dove in. The current was indeed strong, and any normal eight year old would be dead. But this particular boy had grown up knowing he was not normal. Paddling with all his might and using the current to aid him, he quickly caught up to the body. Wrapping an arm around the person's waist, he allowed the current to carry them away, making sure their heads stayed above the water. He knew this river very well and knew that it would be ending soon in favor of gentler waters. Unfortunately, the rapids and the calm pool were separated by a large waterfall.

'I guess it's time to put that knew skill to work,' he thought to himself.

Seeing the waterfall approaching, he gathered chakra to both his feet, but he did not attempt to swim away. Instead, as they were thrown over the fall, the young boy began moving his legs as if he were attempting to run up the water and that is exactly what happened. The boy was using the chakra in his feet to cling to the water and run vertically upwards. His level of control was not nearly enough to beat the waterfall, but it was enough to keep the two from falling to their deaths. As they approached the bottom of the fall, the young boy pushed himself away from the vertical flow of water and landed on the surface of the calm stream.

The body he carried, which he discovered to be a girl about his age, was unconscious and not breathing so he rushed to dry land, laid her down with her back on the ground, and tried to remember what he needed to do in this kind of situation. He lowered his ear to her mouth.

'She has a heartbeat, but she's not breathing. Think, Sei! You spent a week, with that medic-nin couple for crying out loud, you must have learned something,' the boy shouted to himself.

Then he remembered what it he needed to do and his face turned beet red. The embarrassment might kill him later but this girl might only have a few moments to live. He looked into her mouth to make sure there was nothing stuck in her throat and found nothing. He then tilted her head back, pinched her nose, and placed his mouth over hers. He blew two quick breaths and watched the girl's chest rise. He checked to see if she was breathing but there was still no such luck.

He repeated this several times, and just when he was about to give up hope, the girl began coughing up water. He let out a sigh of relief and fell back, exhausted from using chakra during the fall. That was the first time he had done something like that in practice, and although he had not been very efficient this first time, he had already corrected his mistakes in his mind.

Now that their immediate problems were over, Sei took a good look at the girl for the first time. She had a very thin frame and looked almost fragile. She wore a plain blue yukata and regular sandals, but what caught his eye was the fur pelt she held in her hand. Apparently, she had refused to let go of it throughout the entire ordeal, even after she fell unconscious. It was a tan color, similar to the sweater he had left at the river's edge before he dove in and it resembled a fox.

Her hair was a reddish brown-color and she had a very cute face, not the Sei was the kind of boy who thought about such things. He was after all only eight. The girl began to open her eyes, revealing a crimson color that rivaled the Uchiha's sharingan in intensity, yet still complemented her features.

The girl was quite until she realized someone was beside her. She panicked and tried to move away but was too weak to do so. Sei did his best calm her down, and after a few soothing words and Sei keeping his distance, the young girl finally began to relax, although that didn't mean she let her guard down. She kept her eyes that seemed almost animal-like fixated on him.

Sei expected as much. After all, there was no way anyone would willingly swim in such a violent river unless they knew they could handle its waters. He figured she had been chased by bandits and fell into the river as she tried to escape. He tried to lessen the tension even further.

"Hi, my name's Sei. What's your name?" he said with a smile.

The girl seemed puzzled. "My….name?" she replied. She understood the question, but could not, for the life of her, remember the answer. After a few minutes of thinking, she burst into tears, frustrated by not being able to remember something as important as her own name.

Not really knowing what to do, Sei thought of ways he would want to be consoled. He moved closer to her and gave her a friendly hug. He whispered, "There, there. It's alright if you can't remember. You probably hit your head on a rock while you were caught up in the current. Just give it some time and your memory should come back to you."

The girl was startled by his movement but soon relaxed in the embrace. Who could resist such a considerate act of kindness? She might have lost most of her memory, but she knew such things were rare in this world. The two stayed like that for a while until she was calm enough to think straight.

"Thank you for saving me from the river," she said as she bowed her head, "and I'm sorry that I can't remember anything helpful about myself."

"That's okay. Besides, there's someone at my village who can probably help you get your memory back faster. I'm sure that the village would let you stay, at least until you can remember where you came from. The sun is shining and it's a decent walk, so our clothes should be dry by the time we get there."

The girl hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing with him. She did have nowhere else to go. Tired of sitting on the ground she stood up. Sei seemed very concerned about her rising to her feet so quickly and seemed shocked when she was standing.

Aside from her case of amnesia, she seemed perfectly fine. This girl had been chased, nearly drowned in dangerous rapids, hit her head somewhere along the way, and had fallen over a waterfall. How was it possible for her not to have a single broken bone, let alone a scratch? It was Sei's turn to be on guard.


	2. Part 1: Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto and I don't claim to know the real story behind Yondaime. You've been warned.

As Sei and the mystery girl approached the village, the blue-eyed boy felt he needed to prepare her for what would possibly happen. These were after all paranoid times for the village and outsiders would not be welcomed easily. Sure, with his connection to the Third and the manner in which he found her, he would have little problem getting her sanctuary. However, depending on her behavior, her stay could be a pleasant or difficult.

"Hey, let's take a break," he told the girl walking behind him.

"But aren't we almost there?"

"Yeah, but there are some things you need to know before we get there. The village I live in is a hidden shinobi village and we're at war. They won't be very accepting at first so you need to make sure not to give them any reason to feel threatened."

"If there is a chance that you're village won't accept me, then why am I even going there?" she asked with a solemn like on her face.

"Because you have nowhere else to go and my village would be the safest place for you to stay. Don't worry. As long as you're with me, no one will bother you." It was the truth since the village did their best to avoid him. "Besides, I need to have someone take a look at you to see how bad you're condition is."

"What's this person like?"

"Well, she's about ten years older than us and an experience healer. Probably the best medical-ninja we have. She's strong and if you get on her bad side she can be violent, but other than that, she's very kindhearted. My only advice is to avoid arguing with her little brother since she's very protective of him."

"Why would I argue with him?"

Sei thought about the brown haired kid and shuddered. "He's loud, obnoxious, and thinks very highly of himself." Sei then added, "But other than that he's a decent guy."

The two were quiet for a moment. Not liking the silence, the girl continued with questions. "Are you happy there?"

"I guess so. There are some good times and some bad times, but I think it's the same everywhere."

"What's it like being a ninja?"

"I'm not a ninja. I'll probably do something to help the village out but I don't think being a ninja is for me."

"Why not?"

Sei lost his patience. "What's with the third degree? I have my reasons and they're personal. It's none of your business" he stated angrily.

The girl was shocked by his response and lowered her head. After another brief moment of silence she said, "I'm sorry. I'm just scared. First I almost died, then I find out I can't remember anything about myself, and then you tell me the villagers might not like me. I'm really nervous about what might happen to me."

Although her eyes were fixated on the ground and he could not see her eyes, Sei knew she was on the verge of tears. Guilt was something he knew little about and experiencing it for the first time was tough for him. "You don't need to be sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you especially after what you've been through."

Although his words were sincere, this did little to ease her suffering. Tears began to roll down her eyes and she looked up at him, almost as if she wanted him to see what he had done. Then she did something Sei did not expect. She quickly wrapped her arms around him and began sobbing. Sei realized she was crying more from fear than from having her feelings hurt. In a way, her situation reminded him of what he had gone through growing up. Not knowing where you came from or who you are is tough, especially when you are nothing more than a kid. Why did life have to be so cruel? What had they ever done to deserve such cruel fates?

The girl continued to cry when without warning, not that there would have been, a loud growling noise came from the little girl's stomach. How could something so small make such a huge sound? Sei did his best not react in a rude manner, but could not stop himself from laughing. Who could blame him? You'd be laughing too if you heard it. Sei was now the one brought to tears.

"It's not funny!" she shouted, pushing him to emphasize her point.

"I know. _Snicker._ It's just that you've got to be the most unlucky person I've ever met. Tell you what; I'll treat you to something to eat if you forgive me for laughing and for yelling at you earlier."

"Fine," she said, wiping what was left of her tears, "but if you ever mention this again, I'm going to keep your tongue as a souvenir."

Sei took note of the hints of her true character. She was emotional but strong-willed. Rather than be intimidated by her aggressiveness, Sei was actually glad to discover her independent attitude.

As the two of them rose to their feet, the girl froze.

"Kyu…," she said.

"Kyu? What's that?"

"I remember being called that. Do you think it could be my name?" She asked with hope in her eyes.

"You're guess is as good as mine, but I guess it's as good as any. Well Kyu, let's get going. Wouldn't want your stomach to make another announcement, would we?" he said with again.

"I'll let that slide since I'm still hungry. You'd better stop teasing me or I might go through with my earlier threat."

Sei gulped and chuckled nervously.

x x x

As the two arrived at the western entrance to the village, Sei asked Kyu to not say anything while he talked to the guard. Although there was only one, Sei cringed when he realized who it was. "What do you think you're doing outside of the village? You know only shinobi on missions and those with the Hokage's permission are allowed to leave!"

"Relax Orochimaru-sama," the boy told the man. "It's not like I was out conspiring with the enemy. Besides, you and I both know the Third doesn't have a problem with me going out every now and then."

The dark haired sannin was becoming more annoyed with the boy's forwardness. He glanced behind Sei and saw the silent girl. She was glaring at him and it took all of Orochimaru's will to keep himself from snapping her in half. "Who the hell is she and why is she looking at me like that?"

"Her? I found her unconscious in the forest and I wanted your old teammate to take a look at her. As for the look she's giving you, I'd say it's your natural charm. You always did have a way with the ladies." The blond boy grinned.

"Why you little…" The pale-faced ninja once again fought his anger. He returned the grin and said, "I'm not letting her into the village. You should know better than anyone that we don't allow outsiders during times of war."

"You can't be saying that the great and almighty Snake Charmer is afraid of a little girl, right?"

"Off the record, It's not because she's a threat, but because I hate you."

Kyu opened her mouth to give the arrogant jerk a piece of her mind, but Sei stopped her. He turned back to Orochimaru and shrugged his shoulders as he said, "Then I guess we'll just have to get in the same way I got out. Say, Orochimaru, what did you do to get assigned to west gate duty anyway. From what I've heard, it's a full day assignment and it's only given as punishment."

"That's none of your concern," he said bitterly, "and why should I care if you get past an incompetent guard. No sweat off my back."

"Are you sure about that?"

"What are you getting at brat? I have better things to do than listen to your irritating banter."

"Nothing, though I am surprised I managed to get past a shinobi of your talent this morning. I didn't know I had it in me."

It took some time for the weight of this remark to set in. The look of shock in Orochimaru's eyes was priceless, but it quickly turned deadly. He knocked on the gate and whistled to the man on the other side. As the doors opened, the sannin told him to get an escort to take the two kids to the Hokage.

"I suggest you stay cautious in the future when going on one of your little adventures. It wouldn't surprise me at all if you disappeared one day without a trace. We are at war you know."

"Thanks for the advice," Sei said as he and Kyu were escorted into the village.


	3. Part 1: Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The streets were full of villagers and their children, apparently leaving from where he and Kyu were currently headed. _So, it's that time again,_ Sei thought. A part of him was envious as he watched other children and their parents heading home. The adults had just registered the next batch of academy students, but Sei was more preoccupied with the smiles on their children's faces and the way some of them embraced their parents. He let out a heavy sigh and continued to follow their escort to the Hokage's office.

He must have been wearing his sadness on his sleeve because Kyu grabbed hold of his arm in what seemed to be an attempt to cheer him up. Sei could not stop the slight grin on his face and decided not to worry his companion. She had enough to deal with.

When they finally reached, the Hokage's building, they were stopped by two chuunin guards.

"State your business," the first one demanded.

"Orochimaru found the blond kid at the gate with this girl. He told me to bring them to see the Third and have him decide what to do with her."

"The Hokage is currently in a meeting and cannot be disturbed." An irritated look crossed the boy's face. He should have just ditched the escort and taken Kyu straight to Tsunade.

"However," the guard continued, "she'll have to be taken into custody. We can't have outsiders roaming around freely." He stepped towards Kyu, but Sei moved himself between them with a threatening look on his face. The guard was taken aback by this and was about to say something when he was interrupted.

"I don't see any need for that," said a female voice from behind Kyu. "I'm sure little Sei is more than capable of protecting the village from such a dangerous looking girl."

When Sei looked behind him to see who had spoken, he was relieved to see it was Utatane Koharu, one of the Third's old teammates and a well respected shinobi of the village. She was in her mid-thirties and had auburn hair, which she wore in a bun. Koharu was known for her love of children and the guards knew they had no authority to go against her wishes. Still, they had a job to do, and neither wished to be blamed for not trying.

"Koharu-sama, even if she isn't a threat physically, she might be a spy from our enemies. You know we can't take such a risk," the first guard pleaded. Koharu was not paying attention. She was too entranced with Kyu, and acted very much like an overgrown child herself.

"She's so cute!" She said as she pinched the girl's cheeks. Kyu was obviously bothered, but was not about to show it to the first person outside of Sei who stood up for her. "What's your name?" Koharu asked and Kyu answered.

"So Kyu-chan, can you tell me where you're from?" Kyu did not answer this time.

"Um, she can't seem to remember anything except her name," Sei answered for her. "I wanted to take her to see Tsunade-neechan to see if she can help."

"Then I guess you should get to it. It is getting late and the two of you need your rest. Tell Tsunade to take care of her until I can schedule an appointment for her."

"Thanks, but…" Sei pointed a finger at Koharu's hands, which were still pinching Kyu's cheeks.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!"

x x x

The two of them were once again walking about the village, this time escort-free. He was carrying his sweater under his arm with the animal fur he found her with wrapped inside. The fur was very unusual and he was afraid how some people might react to it. Sei had not forgotten his promise to feed her, but his budget was limited and he would have to feed two mouths instead of just one. He looked at Kyu who was still walking behind him holding on to his shirt so they would not be separated.

"Kyu, what kind of food do you like?"

"I don't think I have a favorite. I'm sure whatever they serve at the house I'm staying in will be fine."

Sei considered it for a moment. Tsunade's mother was indeed a decent cook and if it meant feeding Kyu without hurting his wallet, all the better. Then the thought crossed his mind that she might not be home. The woman had a habit of visiting her friends and gossiping the night away. If that was the case, then Tsunade would be cooking, and the last time that happened, he and her younger brother, Nawaki, had been hospitalized. Sei could not put Kyu such hell, even if it could save him a few bucks.

"No, I think it would be a good idea to eat somewhere else." Kyu seemed puzzled and was about to ask what he meant by that when something caught her attention. Letting go of his shirt, Kyu bolted down one of the streets at an incredibly fast pace. Shocked, Sei did his best to keep up, part of him afraid that she might indeed be a spy. He was also amazed that he had to push himself to keep up.

When she finally stopped, the two of them were in front of a small restaurant. The main sign read _Ichiraku Ramen_, with a smaller one reading _Grand Opening_. Tugging at Sei's shirt, Kyu pointed inside and said, "I'm so hungry and this place smells so good. Can we eat here?"

This statement only added to his confusion. How could she have smelled the aroma of the ramen stand all the way from the Hokage's Office? There were not many people in the village with such a keen sense of smell and it made Sei wonder what other surprises she had in store.

Sei checked his wallet and looked at the prices, letting out a sigh of relief when he saw he could afford to feed them. His luck seemed to be changing for the better. When the two of them walked in, they were greeted by a man wearing white, who looked to be in his late teens.

"Welcome! I was afraid I'd have to close for the day without a single customer. What can I get for you two?" said the enthusiastic chef.

Seeing that Kyu could not make up her mind, Sei decided to order for the both of them. "Two barbecue pork ramens, please," he said to the chef.

"Coming right up. The name's Sojiro by the way. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The two waited silently for a bit as they watched him. The young man seemed genuinely happy having customers, Kyu seemed pleased that she was about to satisfy her hunger, and Sei was glad that the meal would not be sucking his funds him dry. However, Sei was tired of awkward silences and decided to chat with the young man.

"Sojiro, are you the only one that works here?"

"Yup! My father and I had planned to own and run the store together, but he passed away recently."

Both Sei and Kyu were about to apologize for bringing up such a painful memory, but Sojiro interrupted. "You don't have to apologize. The old man lived a long and happy life without any regrets. Even when we found out I couldn't be a ninja, he never showed any signs of disappointment."

"Aren't you glad that you don't have to worry about fighting and dying in the war?" Sei asked. The young chef thought about it for a moment as he continued to prepare their meals.

"I guess a part of me is relieved that I won't have to die on the battlefield," he said, "but knowing that the people I grew up with are risking their lives for my safety makes me feel like I should be with them. What have I done to deserve this type of protection?"

Sojiro may not have realized it, but he had just given the blond boy a lot to think about. Sei sat their quietly thinking about what he had just heard, when the young chef decided to brighten the mood.

"Hey, don't worry about it! I've yet to meet a ninja of this village who doesn't see the importance of his or her job and even if I can't help them the way I'd like, I can still do my part to help the village. Besides, if you eat with those frowns, the Ramen won't taste as good," he said with a smile as he set the two bowls of ramen in front of them.

"Itadakimasu!" both Kyu and Sei said in unison.

Sei looked over at Kyu when she had her first taste and was surprised at what he saw. For the first time since escaping the river, Kyu was smiling, and the smile never left her face as she continued eating. When they were finished, Kyu let out a satisfied burp, quickly covering her mouth to hide her embarrassment.

"You seem to be a natural born ramen lover! So, how was it?" the eager cooked asked.

"It was the best meal I've ever had! Thank you so much!" Kyu said happily.

Sei was content that she was happy, but found it hard to understand her enthusiasm. Sure the food was good and satisfying but he did not think it was something to be so excited about. Then again, finding out something about yourself after losing your memory is definitely something to be excited for.

There was a loud noise and everyone turned to look at Kyu. Apparently, her stomach was not satisfied with only one bowl. Sei did his best not to laugh like he did the last time and ordered another bowl. Sojiro refused his money, saying it was on the house and when Kyu was finally satisfied, the two waved goodbye to the kind young ramen-maker.


	4. Part 1: Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: Don't own the show, manga, or author. Hope you enjoy and I'm sorry if this chapter is longer than the others. I couldn't stop myself. Enjoy.

* * *

After sating their hunger, the two decided it was time to find Tsunade. It was late already so Sei figured the first place to look would be her home. It did not take long for them to arrive at the residence of the medic-nin's family. The home was very modest considering they were related to the First. This was probably because Tsunade's father refused to live off his in-law's influence. Sadly, he had passed away a few years ago on a mission and Tsunade had become the family's only source of income. Still, she lived by the same creed as her late father and wanted to support the family with her own strength and not her grandfather's.

Sei knocked on the door and prepared for the worst. The worst came as Nawaki answered the door. The boy did not seem pleased to see the blond. "What do you want?" He asked coldly, to which Sei replied, "I need to talk to your sister."

"Nee-san! You've got company!" he yelled into the house. Nawaki let the guests into the small family area and retreated to his room. Sei felt awkward when he left, but part of him felt he deserved it. He motioned for her to sit on the couch with him while they waited for Tsunade.

When she entered the family room, Tsunade smiled as she looked at the two. "Sei, I didn't know you had a girlfriend. She's cute too," she said.

"It's not like that!" he shouted, completely caught off guard by the comment. Sei's face turned beet red, but he was worried what he said might have offended Kyu so added, "She's a girl and she's my friend, but I barely met her today." He looked over to see Kyu's reaction, but it was obvious she had no idea what they were talking about. Instead, the young girl's eyes were fixated on the blond seventeen year old's chest. Sei could not blame her but kept his eyes above the neck.

Tsunade ignored him and then turned to the girl, "What's your name, cutie?"

"My name's Kyu…..I think," she replied softly.

"What do you mean you think it is? It either is or isn't…..oh," she said as she realized what the problem was. "And you came to me because you thought I'd be able to help her get it back?" Kyu and Sei both nodded.

The seventeen year old medic sighed as she sat down beside the girl, "I'm sorry, but I can't help with memory loss." She asked Kyu to stand up and began to look her over. "You seem to be in perfect condition, which makes this even more confusing.

"Look, from what I know about amnesia, this could be temporary in the best case scenario or permanent in the worst," Tsunade said as she stroked the young girl's hair. "I've met a few people with permanent amnesia, yet they still manage to live happily. You might have lost your past, but you still have your future so try not to worry yourself if you have to wait a while."

"Tsunade-neechan, Koharu-sama wants you to look after Kyu while she waits to see the old man. Is it okay for her to stay the night here?"

"Sure," she said without hesitation. "I'll go look for something she can wear while you help her set up here." With that, she retreated to her room and Sei got busy moving stuff around to clear a space for the extra futon. Tsunade returned shortly with a pink outfit in hand and pointed Kyu towards the bathroom, telling her that a bath was ready for her.

When she was gone, Tsunade turned to look at Sei with a serious face. This was not the look of a friend and sister figure. This was the look of a shinobi who wanted answers. "I need you to tell me everything."

As briefly, but with as much detail as possible, Sei went through their entire ordeal. He told her about how he saved her from the river and how he had revived her thanks to one of Tsunade's notebooks he had read during his stay with them. He mentioned his meeting with Orochimaru at the gate and then his encounter with the guards and Koharu. He even talked about their conversation with Sojiro at the Ramen shop.

When he mentioned Orochimaru, Sei asked what he had done to be placed on guard duty for the west gate. Tsunade refused to answer at first, claiming that a kid had no business knowing, but Sei was persistent. Finally, she gave up and told him Orochimaru had snuck into a vault where forbidden scrolls were kept without the Hokage's permission. He claimed that in desperate times, such secrets could prove invaluable to their cause.

"What did the old man say?" the boy asked.

"Sarutobi-sensei simply said that the techniques and scrolls were labeled forbidden because they did little to help the village and were self-destructive or dangerous in the wrong hand. The conversation would have ended there except Orochimaru shouted that the only reason the scrolls and techniques were locked away was because the weak were afraid of the strong becoming stronger. That last statement is what got him guard duty."

When Sei continued his story, he did not mention the abilities he discovered Kyu possessed. The last thing Sei wanted was for people to have a reason to view Kyu with suspicion. He planned to save those details for Old Man Hokage himself. Instead, he took out the animal fur he found Kyu with and asked Tsunade if it meant anything to her.

"Well, it definitely looks like a fox skin. It's probably something to keep her warm, though it doesn't seem practical to have during spring. I don't think it has any special meaning, but try not to show it off. There are some people that think such a thing brings bad luck."

"I'll do that," he said. He then asked if there was nothing she could do to help her.

"Nope. I'm sorry but your girlfriend will just have to wait for it to return on its own."

"I already told you, she's not my girlfriend," Sei muttered under his breath.

"Let's see then. Did you kiss her?" she asked

"That was mouth to mouth! That doesn't count!" Sei seemed desperate. He knew where she was going with this line of questioning and he did not like it.

"Did the two of you go walking arm in arm?"

"She didn't know her way around the village!"

"Did you treat her out to eat?"

"Yes, but…"

"All that and you still say she isn't your girlfriend? Sounds like denial to me, babe," Tsunade said with a smile on her face.

Sei had been defeated and Tsunade loved it. She laughed while he remained silent and it would have stayed that way if they had not heard the commotion coming from the hall.

"Take that back!" they heard Kyu yell, followed by a smacking sound and then a loud thud. Both Sei and Tsunade went to see what had happened and gasped when they saw Nawaki on the ground with a hand over his right eye. When they looked at Kyu, she was clenching her left hand into a fist and had an angry look on her face.

With her sisterly instincts kicking in, Tsunade rushed to Nawaki's side and demanded Kyu explain herself. The medic-nin performed some hand seals and a green aura surrounded her right hand. Kyu then began her explanation.

"I was just leaving the bathroom when he came out of his own room. He asked me what I was doing with a loser like Sei and I asked him what a loser was. When he to told me what it meant I got angry and yelled at him and before I could stop myself I hit him." Tears were rolling down her eyes and Tsunade stopped what she was doing, the green orb leaving her hand. Kyu continued. "If you don't want me here anymore, I'll leave, but I'm not apologizing to him."

"It's alright, sweetie. I'm not going to make you leave," She said before finally turning to her little brother. "Nawaki, I healed your eye enough to make the pain go away, but I think you deserve the shiner she gave you. This girl owes her life to the so-called loser and you should know better than to insult someone's friends."

Nawaki was angry before, but his face showed signs of guilt and regret. He got to his feet, muttered an apology, and then went to his room. Tsunade watched as he closed his door behind him then turned to Sei.

"It's getting late," she said. "Do you plan on staying the night as well?"

"No, I think I've caused enough trouble. Goodnight Tsunade-neechan and tell Nawaki I said bye." He turned to look at a disheartened Kyu, "Night Kyu-chan. I'll see you tomorrow when we go see the Hokage."

He turned to leave, but Kyu grabbed his arm and refused to let go. She did not say a word, but the look in her eyes told him that she did not want him to leave. Sei was after all the person who rescued her, the first person to show her kindness, and also the person who she had spent the most time with. Of course she would become attached.

"I guess the love birds can't be separated. Sei, you smell like sweat and river water so I'm going to ask you to take a bath. I'll get an extra blanket for the couch," a devious grin appeared on her face as she added, "unless you prefer to share the futon with your girlfriend."

"The couch is fine," he said. Tsunade handed him a pair of clothes to change into and he headed for the bathroom.

* * *

Sei found it hard to sleep. Not because the couch was uncomfortable, but because he was once again staying in someone else's house, much like when he was jumping from place to place growing up. What made this more unsettling was that he had been here before and had enjoyed his stay here. Had things not turned out as badly as they did, Sei believed he would still be here.

"Sei, are you awake?" he heard Kyu whisper.

"Yeah, I am. I guess you can't sleep either, huh?" She shook her head, still lying on her back. She turned her head to face Sei who was lying on his stomach looking down at the girl.

"Sei, why is that other boy mean to you?"

Sei closed his eyes to let the memories return to him. Nawaki had always wanted a brother and when Sei moved in, the two of them were the best of friends. They pulled pranks together, played together, and trained together. His mother would tell stories of the First Hokage and the adventures he had protecting the village. Nawaki would sit their in awe and Sei would smile, amused at his foster brother's interest. When Nawaki vowed to one day become Hokage and continue his grandfather's legacy, Sei had made a silent promise to one day accomplish that goal. Sei had hoped for things to remain the way they were, but the very promise he made to himself, would force him to give up that hope.

"Are you still awake, Sei?"

"Yes, I'm still up. Nawaki wasn't being mean when he said those things. It isn't mean when you're telling the truth," he said. "I am a loser."

"No you're not!" Kyu raised her voice. Not wanting to wake the others, she made sure to keep her temper in check before speaking again. "A loser wouldn't have been able to save me and then protect me like you have."

Sei was quiet again. He needed to make sure the words about to leave his mouth would not upset her, but at the same time explain why Nawaki had every right to be upset. When he was ready to speak, he did his best to smile and speak in a calm manor.

"When I was an infant, I was abandoned outside of the village. No one knew where I had come from and many people were afraid that I might be a threat to the village when I grew up. I was lucky the Hokage was a kind a man. He accepted me as a member of the village and I stayed at an orphanage until a family would come to claim me.

"Families did try to adopt me, but for some reason I intimidated each and every one of them. I only thought I was doing what they wanted when I learned what they had to offer. I thought they'd be happy when they saw how quickly I could learn. I only ended up scaring them.

"They told me many things but all of them seemed to think that only a monster could do what I could. Even when I tried to hide what I was capable of, the damage was done. Fewer families would take me in and the ones that did were cruel. Finally, I ended up here and found happiness.

"Nawaki was the first friend I ever had and we did everything together. He shared his hopes and dreams with me and I swore to myself that I would do whatever I could to help him. It was the least I could do for the first and only friend I had."

Sei paused and wiped away the tears that were beginning to form, claiming the couch was dusty and something had gotten into his eye. He then continued, trying his best to keep his voice from breaking.

"Then one day, some of the other kids started making fun of me calling me, a freak or monster. I was used to it and didn't let it get to me. Nawaki was different. He yelled at them and looked like he was about to take the group on. Had they not known he was the First Hokage's grandson, they would have attacked him, not that I would have stood by and let them.

"Instead, the kids did worse. As they walked away one of them said that the village would never let a friend of a monster become Hokage. Nawaki snapped and I did my best to restrain him. When he was finally calm, I told him to go home. I said I was going to train a little more, but instead I followed the group of kids.

"When I caught up with them I said, 'If you ever plan on becoming honorable shinobi, you'd better take your beating like men!' Nine kids at least two years older than I was were going home bruised and beaten. However, the last boy, the same one who couldn't shut his mouth, I wanted to suffer.

"I pushed him up against the wall and punched the wall as hard as I could. Thinking I was going to punch him, the boy wet his pants in fear. 'I don't attack cowards,' I said, 'and since you stayed behind to let your buddies take the hits, you must be the biggest coward among them.'

"I left to let his former friends deal with him, but the things he said before bothered me. It is a Hokage's duty to protect the village and make the villagers feel safe. So how could Nawaki hope to become Hokage when he was associating with someone feared by the villagers? As long as I was around, he had no hope of having his dream come true, so I decided to leave."

Sei could no longer hold the tears in and instead decided to hide his face entirely. "I told him we couldn't be friends anymore and that I had to leave. Nawaki was hurt by my decision and never looked at me the same again. He looks at me the same way a lot of other villagers do, only he has every right to."

Sei was silent, trying to get his emotions back under control. He did not notice Kyu get up from the futon. She grabbed his arm and dragged him down to the futon with her. She held him, his back facing her and whispered, "You aren't a loser Sei. A loser wouldn't give up his own happiness to keep someone else's dream alive. I have to admit that it wasn't the best decision you could have made, but your heart was in the right place."

Sei felt as if he did deserve the comfort he was receiving, but this was a first for him, a good first, and he was not about to decline. "What else could I have done?" he asked.

The answer that Kyu gave touched his soul and seemed beyond her years. "Nawaki saw through the monster and was able to see the light inside you. Where others were ignorant of this, he defended what he saw in you. The best thing you could have done was stay by his side and prove to everyone that his trust in you was not ill-founded.

"When you decided to run away, not only did he lose a good friend, he lost face with the people he was defending you from. To you, leaving was the same as protecting him, but people will see what they want to see. Leaving only made you out to be more of a monster than they previously thought. How can they trust someone who would abandon his friends?

The words leaving her mouth stung. How could she understand things so well when she had only been around less than a day? How could she understand his situation so well, after only hearing his story once? The alternate decision that she had given also made him feel like a fool.

"It's not too late to earn his friendship back if you really want it. Part of the reason I was so upset with him is because he called you such a horrible name without truly meaning it. He has a lot of respect for you."

"No he doesn't. How can he after I just threw away our friendship?" Sei said in a hoarse voice.

"He seems more frustrated with you than angry. He….We can't understand why it's so hard for you to see how great you are when it seems so obvious to us." She held him tighter.

"There's nothing great about me," Sei told her, "but thank you. We really should go to sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day for you and I'm going to have to tag along." He hugged the girl's hands that were wrapped around him. It did not take long for the two of them to fall sound asleep.

Unknown to them, a certain brown-haired boy had heard everything. Sei was not the only one amazed at the depth of Kyu's personality. The boy brought his hand up to his bruised eye and sighed. She truly was an amazing person, but Nawaki figured anyone who could see the good inside Sei could be considered amazing. He was glad Sei had found at least one more person willing to stand up for him and hoped Sei would take the girl's suggestion seriously. He really did miss Sei's friendship.

As Nawaki turned to leave, he walked into something very soft and warm. Stepping back, he looked up to see his sister's drowsy face. "What are you doing up nee-san?"

"That's my question. I thought you went to sleep before the rest of us."

"I was just getting a glass of water, heh, heh," he placed his hands behind his head and smiled a big toothy grin. He learned that his sister was weak against this look. Unfortunately, he had not considered one very important detail.

"Normally that look would be enough to sway me. However, I'm tired, I'm hungry, and that black eye of yours is sucking away all the cuteness. Since you're my brother and I love you to death, I'll give you three seconds to get back in bed."

"Are you serious?" he asked

"Three…" she cracked her knuckles.

"You wouldn't."

"…Two…" She popped her neck.

Nawaki did not want to find out the hard way if she was serious or not. He was gone in a flash and Tsunade walked into the family room to check on the kids. She could not help but smile at the site she saw _Sei, Sei, Sei. You even sleep in the same futon together. Hell, the two of you are practically spooning,_ she thought. _My, kids grow fast these days._ She bent down to make sure they were covered properly and went to Kyu's side.

_Even if your memory never returns, I hope you hold on to your future as tight as you're holding onto him right now. _With that, the blond medic-nin headed towards the kitchen.


	5. Part 1: Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: Don't own the anime/manga this is based off of.

**A/N**: Reviews make me so happy and I don't know why. Since there were a couple of questions I'll answer them

Mrasdfghj: Although I plan to relate this story with other fics I make in the future, the Parts do not imply that we'll be seeing Naruto and friends in this story (though you might see Naruto as a baby….)

Dragon Man 180: you'll see. Besides, we all know Jiraiya trained the fourth (who I've named Sei in honor of the guy who slew the kyuubi in myth) so it would be kind of hard not to have him.

I had hoped to move at a faster pace, but school is getting in the way (believe me, I'd much rather be updating). Bare with me and I'll do my best to update as often as I can. Other than that, hope you enjoy.

"Wake up sleepy heads. Breakfast is ready," said a voice. Sei was tempted by the offer of food but decided that sleep was more precious. He did not here the person again and quickly drifted off to sleep once more. Several minutes later a bucket of water was thrown on the sleeping children causing both of them to jump up.

"What was that for!" He demanded of the person holding the bucket. He was a little surprised to see Nawaki was the culprit and that he was smiling. Sure there was something evil about the grin, but it was the first time Sei had seen one directed at him in a long time. Kyu on the other hand looked as if she wanted to blacken his other eye.

"Nee-chan tried waking you two up earlier but failed. She told me to do it instead and said I was to use 'any means necessary'. Besides, we have worse things to worry about." The smirk vanished and was replaced by a look of horror. "Mom didn't come home last night so my sister is…" Nawaki gulped, "…cooking."

The same look of horror appeared on Sei's face and he tried to make a break for the door. Nawaki grabbed him shouting, "If I have to eat it, so do you! Consider it payment for letting you stay the night!"

As confused as Kyu was, she was glad to see that the boys were on better terms. She knew that Nawaki had been listening in on their conversation, and although she had not said anything for his benefit, she was glad that the things Sei had revealed had touched Nawaki. She just hoped the peace would last.

"That's enough you two! I've had it with you guys insulting my cooking. I'm trying really hard here." They heard Tsunade shout from the kitchen. Kyu got up to claim her free meal, which stunned the two boys. No one they knew would willingly eat anything Tsunade made, but then again Kyu was new. Realizing that Kyu might actually eat what Tsunade served her, the two boys panicked and ran for the kitchen.

What they saw was truly amazing. Kyu was happily munching away at the batch of cookies Tsunade had made. Tsunade was pleased beyond words, hugging the girl as she ate. She glared at the boys who were previously insulting her, "I told you I was getting better."

The two boys looked at each other. If Kyu could stomach it, then so should they, right? They both grabbed a cookie from the platter and after saying a brief prayer to a god of their choosing they took a bite. Both agreed that the food they were eating was a definite improvement from when they had been hospitalized. However, neither Sei nor Nawaki could stop themselves from gagging and then rushing off to find an appropriate place to hurl. Nawaki used the trash bin while Sei headed for the sink.

Sei decided that Kyu possessed a cast-iron stomach and that seemed much more impressive than either her speed or her sense of smell. Sei could not help but envy the girl as his stomach once again emptied itself. As the two boys noisily went about their business and Tsunade scolded them for making it look worse than it was, Kyu heard the knock at the door. Seeing as how everyone else was distracted, she went to answer it.

She opened the door to find a rather tall man with long, spiky gray hair. Kyu noticed that he was not wearing the jacket or headband that the guards at the Hokage's office had worn so she wondered if he was really a ninja. Then again, neither had that bastard at the gate, and from what Sei had told her, Orochimaru was one of the strongest ninja in the village. However, the man's carefree attitude and honest smile reassured the girl that he was nothing like the pale-faced loser she had met the other day.

"Who are you?" Kyu asked, only opening the door enough for her to see him, but not enough for him to step in.

"Who am **I**?" the man asked, surprised that the girl did not know him. His answer came with a dance Kyu found rather entertaining.

"Most talented student of the greatest Hokage in history, summoner of the mighty toads, enemy to snake-summoning bastards, protector of Konoha, and admirer of beautiful women...

"I am the great JIRAIYA!"

When the man was done, Kyu could not stop herself from giggling. "You're funny," she said.

"Heh, heh, heh. What do we have here? You must be the mystery girl I've heard so much about! Nice to meet you," the man with long, spiky gray hair said. "Is Tsunade-hime around?"

"She's busy right now."

The man grinned slyly. "Excellent."

* * *

Seeing that the two boys no longer had anything in them to hurl, Tsunade began to wonder where Kyu had run off to. She asked the two eight year olds if they had seen her leave, and, not having the strength to speak, they pointed towards the door that led to the family room. She decided to see what the young girl was up to and headed off. 

When she found her, Tsunade's blood began to boil at the sight of the person keeping her company. Kyu was on the couch listening to the medic-nin's teammate, who was sitting on the floor, ramble on about god knows what. The fact that they were talking and laughing together made her very nervous. "Jiraiya! What they hell are you doing here?" She demanded of the toad summoner.

"Would you relax? Sarutobi-sensei told me to escort the girl and the blond to see him. You could have a little more faith in your dear partner," Jiraiya said with an innocent look in his eyes.

"Stand up!"

"What for?"

"Just do it!" When the man finally stood, Tsunade began patting him down as if she were looking for something. When the gray haired man made a comment about the kinkiness of the situation, Tsunade paused her search long enough to smack him upside the head. When she was finished she muttered, "You're clean," and then took a seat on the couch next to Kyu.

At that point, the two boys who had been recuperating in the kitchen decided to make their way to the family room to investigate the yelling. Seeing Jiraiya was in the room, neither felt it necessary to ask. Sei and Nawaki muttered their greeting and sat down on the floor.

Jiraiya leaned over and asked Sei about his encounter with Orochimaru. After telling the perverted sannin about how he had stood up to and embarrassed the snake summoner, Jiraiya gave him two thumbs up and various other congratulations. The easy mood of the room was soon ended when Kyu spoke.

"Tsunade-sama is it true that your chest used to be as flat as mine?" the little girl asked innocently.

The two boys went pale, knowing how taboo such a remark was in front of her. Their faces of horror were nothing compared to Jiraiya's as Tsunade glared angrily at him. She lunged from her seat on the couch with murderous intent towards her teammate yelling, "You bastard," "You're a dead man," and "What the hell have you been teaching her?"

Bruised and broken, the pervert was finally allowed to get up. It was his job to take them to see Sandaime after all. When the two had collected their few belongings, Kyu and Sei headed for the door, dragging the battered sannin with them. The three waved goodbye to Nawaki and Tsunade and made their way once more to see the Hokage.

* * *

The two were nearing their destination, when Jiraiya looked down at Kyu. "Hand it over," he said, and Kyu reached into a hidden pocket to reveal a pair of Tsunade's panties. Oh, but these were not just any pair of underwear. These were the pink lacey ones Tsunade for special occasions. At least, that was what Nawaki had told Sei, and Sei had always been curious as to how he knew that. 

"Are you insane!" Sei whispered loudly, almost as if he feared Tsunade could hear him. "You sure know how to set an example. Do you really want to die?"

"Shut up, kid. After that beating, I feel even less guilty about taking them….not that I felt guilty about it to begin with."

Sei looked over at Kyu. "Why did you help him? You had to have known Tsunade would be mad if she found out something was stolen."

Kyu smiled and said, "I figured she had plenty of them and that she could always buy another pair." At this, Jiraiya's only thoughts were _hell yeah!_ Kyu added, "Besides, when the big guy found out how much I like ramen, he promised to buy all the ramen I could eat for a month."

Sei smiled inwardly. Jiraiya had gotten the short end of that deal and had no idea. "Hmph," came Jiraiya. "If I remember correctly, it was you that caused her to go crazy on my ass. We're even as far as I'm concerned."

Kyu did not look disappointed nor did she lose her temper. Instead, she looked up at Jiraiya with puppy dog eyes and said, "I'm sorry Tsunade-neechan, that bad man made me take them. I didn't want to, I swear." Jiraiya stopped dead in his tracks.

"You wouldn't!"

"Not if you don't make me," Kyu replied. Sei dropped to the ground, no longer able to contain his laughter.

* * *

When the trio finally arrived at the building, they simply breezed through the guards, walking up the stairs that lead to the entrance. Jiraiya guided them down a short hallway and opened the door to Sandaime's office. The room was large but simple. The room was circular in shape, with tall, rectangular windows across from the entrance. There were a few potted plants and a couple of couches against the wall, but the main furniture was a desk with large stacks of documents on it. 

"The kids you wanted to see are here," Jiraiya said to the man wearing the red and white outfit and triangular hat with the symbol fire on it. He looked at the children and motioned for them to step forward. Kyu was nervous but did so.

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" the Hokage asked.

Sei once again told the story of their encounter, making sure to exclude details he felt would do more harm then good. He hoped the fact that Kyu had amnesia and had nowhere else to go would be enough to sway him. When Sei had finished his story, he added, "Hokage-sama, please let her stay in the village, even if it's just until her memory returns. She has nowhere to go, no one to trust, and no memory to guide her."

Sarutobi was quiet while he thought. He had every intention of letting the girl stay since he was not the kind of person to just abandon the weak and helpless. However, he saw the potential in Sei to become a great shinobi and knew that he would never choose the path of a ninja unless he had good reason. The leader of the village decided to take a chance.

"I would like nothing more than to let your friend stay. However, she's too old to enter the orphanage and as you've mentioned, few families would be willing to take in someone they felt was a spy. From the looks of things, she is very attached to you, so whoever takes her in would also have to take you in. I'm afraid that Tsunade's household is incapable of housing two more members so they're out of the question. Where do you suggest she stay?"

Sei thought about this. It was definitely true that Kyu would not be comfortable staying anywhere without him. He himself did not want to simply leave Kyu with another family without being able to keep an eye on her. "I'm already living on my own and there is plenty of room for her. She could stay with me."

Sarutobi had hoped for such a response, but he stayed silent to let the tension build. When he was ready he said, "I'll make you a deal Sei. I cannot just allow her to stay with you as if she were a pet. She is a human being and a girl, so I need to know you can take care of her as such.

"If you enter the academy, pass, and are officially declared a genin, I'll allow you to look after her as if it were a mission. Well?"

"That doesn't make any sense. If I'm at the academy, how am I supposed to watch over her?"

"If she wishes, she can enter the academy and become a ninja just like you. How's that?"

Sei thought it over. If Kyu were to become a ninja, most people would overlook her abilities since they would be benefiting the village. He definitely would have an easier time watching over her if they both attended the academy and it would give them both the chance to prove themselves to the village. First, he needed to make sure Kyu was okay with this arrangement. This meeting was for her, not him.

"Kyu-chan, is this alright with you?"

There was a concerned look in her eyes. "I thought you didn't want to be a ninja. I don't want you doing something you don't want to just for me."

Kyu looked at her with a reassuring smile. "It's fine with me. Besides, you're the one that told me to show everyone I'm not a monster. This is a good place to start." Kyu was hesitant, but in the end she said she was okay with it. Sei then turned back to Sarutobi.

"It's a deal."


	6. Part 1: Chapter 6

**Disclaimer**: Don't own the anime/manga this is based off of.

**A/N:** I apologize if this chapter is not up to par. It's a shopping chap and I'm not a clothing person. I just want to note that this specific story is going to have a couple of time-skips. Since I like the characters (never thought I'd become so attached to Sei and Kyu) I'll probably write other fics with them during the periods I skip over (will include missions, chuunin exam, jounin promotion, etc.) This is because I want to go from now all the way to Yondaime's fall and adding everything will make this a veeeerrrryy long story. So I promise to fill in the blanks with future fics when this one comes to an end.

Thanks for your reviews. They really do help me go on.

* * *

Since their meeting with the Hokage, the weeks seemed to fly by for Sei and Kyu. Living together was easier than most would have expected, but their comfort in each other's company only made sense. One had no one he could call family and the other had lost her memory of the past. Was it really wrong to for two children to console each other's pain?

The Hokage increased Sei's stipend to provide for two livelihoods and the boy used an advance to pay for an extra futon. It was a wasted investment since the girl snuck into his bed every night and snuggled close to him. Sei knew this would be a problem as they grew older, but was grateful for his ignorance as a child. He honestly did not mind having someone close by.

Sei also used his money to pay for equipment they would need for their academy days. The boy's small apartment was littered with scrolls, kunai, shuriken, first aid supplies, and other essentials for a shinobi. Sei sighed heavily and ran his hand through his blond hair when he thought about the life he had signed on for. Yet one glance of the reddish-brown haired girl smiling was enough to convince Sei that he had made the right choice.

Then there was the problem of buying Kyu new clothes. The only clothes she had were the ones she wore when Sei had found her. Since then, she had been wearing a combination of Tsunade's old outfits and some of Sei's clothing. Kyu once commented that she preferred the scent of Sei's shirts to that of the medic-nin. Sei was shocked by the remark and was thankful that Tsunade had not been around to hear it, since she would never let him live it down. He also realized he would have to teach Kyu about what was appropriate to say around others.

Back to the problem at hand. Sei needed to find a suitable outfit for Kyu to wear when she performed her duties as a shinobi. Unfortunately he knew next to nothing about what the kunoichi of village wore nor was he friendly with any of the girls his age. He had two options and he liked neither. Get the super-pervert's advice or the raving mad-woman's.

The first option would not have been his first choice, but fate seemed to enjoy tormenting the boy. As Sei walked with Kyu to find Tsunade, they came across Jiraiya trying to hit on three very attractive village women. The carefree toad-man was pulling out all the stunts, but it was clear that the woman were simply leading him on. Sei was prepared to ignore the situation, but the hormone-driven ninja had other ideas.

"Sei! Kyu! What a lovely surprise!" Jiraiya shouted in their direction. When it was clear he had their attention, he turned to face the women once again. "Let me introduce you ladies to my adorable niece and nephew. Aren't they cute?"

Sei could not believe how low the toad sannin had fallen. Did the man really lack any sense of dignity? What was even more unbelievable was the effect it had on the three girls. Awestruck by the power of the children's level of adorability, all three women began taking turns pinching and probing Sei and Kyu, ooing and awing as they went about it.

Jiraiya cleared his throat and put his plan into action. "It's sad really. My dear sister had to leave them in my care while she went off to find their father who went who know where. Now it's up to me alone to raise them the best way I can. Sure, the boy is an easy matter, but I'm afraid I just don't have the skills needed to raise a daughter properly. If only there were a woman in my life willing to be a good role-model…." His voice trailed off in preparation for a response.

_There's no way a dirty trick like that can work,_ Sei thought. To his surprise all three of the women began fawning over Jiraiya, telling him how cruel his sister was for leaving the responsibility on his strong shoulders and promising to do everything they could to help him raise the girl into a splendid woman. Sei could not bring himself to think straight. Were all women this fickle? He turned to see how Kyu was responding and was frightened by the look in her crimson eyes.

Jiraiya should have been paying attention. He might have been able to diffuse the girl's anger immediately with a simple promise of a trip to _Ichiraku_. Unfortunately, he was too busy with his beauties to notice. Kyu was seething. It was bad enough that the gray haired man had not been keeping up with his promise of all the ramen she could eat, but she knew she had been used. Not only that her cheeks had once again been pinched…repeatedly…by three women…at the same time. There would be hell to pay, and Kyu intended to beat the man at his own game.

"Waaaahhhhh!" Kyu buried her head in Sei's chest as she cried loudly. The tears were real enough and she had the cheek-pinching women to thank for that. "I was so scared. I didn't like being alone in that nasty house. Wasn't it bad enough that mommy left to run off with daddy! I don't wanna clean anymore! My hands and feet hurt!" Kyu's hands were indeed dirty, but that was due to the weapons training the two of them had done earlier.

Everyone was speechless. The women that were huddling over Jiraiya had yet to formulate a thought, not quite sure what had just happened. Whatever came next would decide how the women would react and Jiraiya was at a loss for words. Sei on the other hand also resented being a tool and was eager to play along.

"You'll have to excuse my sister," Sei said with a sad look on his face. "She gets cranky when she hasn't eaten and there's no food around the house. Our uncle here was supposed to bring back food, but he hasn't been back for a long time." Almost as if on cue, Kyu's stomach growled. Sei fought desperately to keep his laugh from escaping.

Jiraiya on the other hand was not so fortunate. Having heard her stomach for the first time, he could not help but laugh so loud and hard that scared the surrounding people. The women were furious.

"_How dare you laugh at that poor girl's suffering?"_ All three seemed to yell together. They then proceeded to beat the accomplished shinobi senselessly. When they were finished, they strutted away from their opponent and left, but not before hugging Kyu and offering their condolences.

Seeing as how Jiraiya was no longer conscious, Sei decided he needed to seek advice from Tsunade. She was indeed a better help than Jiraiya had been. They did, after all, enter a clothing store. However, Tsunade's taste in clothing conflicted with Kyu's and neither could come to a solution. Times like these made Sei very glad he was a guy and lacked any care for fashion.

The two girls were about to give up when Kyu caught site of a familiar face. Instinctively, her hands went to her cheeks as if they meant to protect them with all they possessed. That reaction alone was enough for Sei to figure it out, but he turned his head to make sure. Indeed, it was Koharu who had his friend in a panic.

The woman smiled at her ex-teammate's student asking if she was well and what she was doing with Sei and Kyu. As Tsunade explained their situation, Kyu relaxed and bravely brought her hands back to her side. Koharu laughed gingerly when the medic-nin had finished the explanation.

"I see," she said looking down at the dressy-type outfit Kyu was wearing. "Well it's no wonder you're having difficulty. Every woman dresses to suit their personality, and Kyu-chan is being dressed as if she were you!"

Koharu looked the girl over and thought deeply about their first encounter and how the girl had acted. Koharu remembered Kyu as a timid thing when they first met, but quickly realized that the girl was wild with strong convictions and had only kept them hidden because she did not want to cause a scene. She took Kyu's hand and led her to a different section. Koharu grabbed several items and then quickly shoved Kyu into a changing room.

Several minutes passed before Kyu came out. Sei's jaw dropped and Tsunade's hand closed it for him. Kyu was wearing a blood-red jacket-vest, zippered up half way, over a dark brown long sleeved shirt. The pants she wore were loose fitting and of a similar color to the shirt she wore. Her footwear was also heavy duty. If Kyu had been less attractive, most would have assumed her to be a boy by her clothing alone. However, the clothing only seemed to complement her features, both in beauty and fierceness.

Kyu smiled happily loving her new attire. Sei had thought what Koharu had said about clothes needing to match the personality was nothing but nonsense, but he had to admit that his judgment had been wrong. The deadly outfit she now wore seemed suited for Kyu.

"What's this?" he heard Koharu ask, snapping him out of his trance. He looked over at the older woman and his blood ran cold at what he was looking at. The same reaction could be seen on Tsunade's face.

Before she had changed into her new clothes, Kyu had been wearing one of Sei's loose sweaters. What Sei did not know was that underneath it Kyu had hidden her fox pelt. Apparently, when the girl changed clothing, she had tried to wrap the fur in the sweater she had changed out of, but a small section was sticking out and this was what had caught Koharu's attention.

Sei and Tsunade both tried to come up with explanations, but Kyu beat them to it with the truth. "This was the only thing Sei found me with when I almost drowned. I was hoping keeping it near me would help me remember something. People have been telling me that I shouldn't be seen with it since they might think it's a bad sign."

"Tell me, child. What do you think or feel when you look at it?" Koharu asked, holding the tan pelt in her hand.

"I feel sad for some reason, but I feel that it was given to me so that I remember something important." Kyu looked glum, but she had learned to hide her tears. "I don't know what I'm supposed to remember though."

Koharu patted the girl's head and smiled. She then took the fox pelt, wrapped it around her neck, and tucked the ends into the front half of the partially open vest. "Something so important shouldn't be kept hidden. The people who told you differently did so with good intentions, but you should be true to yourself."

Kyu's eyes began to water from Koharu's gesture and the words she had just heard. Unable to voice her gratitude, Kyu took the older woman's hands and placed them on her cheeks. She forced Koharu's fingers to pincher her cheeks, until the woman did so on her own. Knowing how much such a thing irritated Kyu, Sei and Tsunade were stunned. It was not until Kyu and Koharu began giggling did they feel comfortable to relax.

Sei sighed, glad the day had been a success. After saying goodbye to the two women, Kyu and Sei headed home, arms filled with the Kyu's shinobi outfit, as well as other things Koharu thought she would need. Tomorrow would definitely be interesting. Tomorrow, their academy days begin.


	7. Part 1: Chapter 7

"Kyu," Sei whispered to the girl sitting next to him. "You need to pay attention. If the instructor catches you he'll—"

"I'll do what young man?" a heavy set chuunin asked the blond boy. Sei quickly shook his head hoping the instructor would not press the matter. He didn't know why he bothered trying to warn Kyu. After all, Sei was the one always getting in trouble because of it.

The two had been attending the academy for two weeks already and Sei was wondering if the material was ever going to be worthwhile. He had mastered all the basic techniques already, like henge, bunshin, and even kawarimi, though that was for extra credit and not a real assignment. Kyu had a little more trouble with the techniques but caught on quickly when Sei helped her outside of the academy.

Even the physical exercises were inadequate. Sei could run rings around half the kids in the class, and frankly, Kyu could do the same to him. During the shuriken practice, Sei discovered he was more adept at hitting the targets then all three instructors and had to throw his aim off slightly to keep from drawing attention. Kyu, on the other hand, was not as modest. If the instructors got on her bad side, and they did frequently, she would rub her superiority in their faces.

The written assignments were also a breeze for Sei, though Kyu's head began to hurt if she spent too much time on them. This was when the instructors would single her out. "What do you mean you can't tell me the history of the first and second Hokages! We just went over it ten minutes ago!"

"But you were so boring I fell asleep," she would reply innocently, much to the displeasure of the instructor. The fact of the matter was that Kyu hated history. She did not see the importance of remembering stuff like what the Hokages' favorite techniques were when she was trying so hard to remember stuff about herself. It took hours of studying at home just to give her enough information to barely pass.

Sei had to admit that no one could match her when it came to survival training. On the second day of class, they were taken to a dense forest and instructed to stay hidden for three hours. If the instructors found someone, that person failed the lesson. Kyu not only avoided detection throughout the entire two hours, but she also hid several students who could not hide themselves. Of course, that was also what sparked the instructor's animosity towards her.

Besides the people Kyu helped out, only five people in a class of fifty managed to beat the instructors. Sei, Kyu, and Nawaki managed to pull through, but so did the two child prodigies of the Uchiha and Hyuga clans. Sei found out that he was ranked third behind these two, but Nawaki and Kyu believed he was letting them stay ahead to avoid unwanted attention.

"You know you could beat both of them with your eyes closed," Nawaki told him.

"They're not my opponents," Sei responded flatly.

"You know those two treat the rest of the class like garbage because they think they're better than everyone," Kyu interjected.

"I heard that the rest of the class was just upset because they screw up the curve. In fact, some people say that the Uchiha is actually decent for a spoiled clan heir."

"Are you kidding me?" came Nawaki. "Kyu saw the Hyuga shove a kid in the hall just for blocking the door by mistake. And how great can that Uchiha kid be if he makes it a point to cream everyone in every subject! We should do something!"

Sei merely sighed. "I don't want any trouble, especially with those clans." Sei had every right to avoid those families. When people began to discover his great potential, the two clans were the first to label him a wolf in sheep's clothing. Neither the Hyuga clan nor the Uchiha clan wanted anything to do with Sei, and when they learned that he and Kyu were to attend Academy, the clans used every ounce of their influence to remove him, though it was to no avail. The Hokage had his own plans.

Nawaki and Kyu did not press the matter further. Class was over anyways and kunai training was about to begin. The three made their way from the building to the training fields outside and since there were more students than target poles, Sei, Kyu, and Nawaki were assigned to one. Surprisingly enough, Hyuga Hiashi and Uchiha Keisuke (AN/ what is that bastard's name!) shared a pole next to them.

"Listen up everyone," an instructor began. "I need one member from each group to stand behind the throwing lane. The rest of you, wait patiently against the wall."

Sei was first up, and his two friends wished him good luck before departing. Nearby, Keisuke took his place behind the line. The instructor waited until the ten students were ready, kunai in hand. He then cleared his throat and began giving directions for the exercise.

"First I want everyone to try and hit the pole in the center of the red circle!"

Sei concentrated on the red dot. It was probably ten centimeters in diameter, but from his spot twenty meters away, the circle seemed very small. He took a deep breath, aimed carefully, and threw the Kunai towards its target at the same time everyone else did. When all the students had finished throwing, only half had hit the pole. Keisuke and Sei were the only ones who managed to hit the target. However, Keisuke was a centimeter off while Sei had hit the target dead center.

"Excellent work Sei. Not bad either Keisuke," the instructor said to the two boys. "I didn't expect anyone to hit the target this soon, so what do you say we make things interesting with a little competition." Those were not words Sei wanted to hear. The instructor wheeled a cart full of kunai between the two boys.

"I want each of you to take turns throwing these kunai at the target. You each get ten throws. Hitting the pole will count as one point, the circle will get you five points, and hitting the original kunai in the pole will land you a whopping ten points. The winner gets to stay home tomorrow with passing marks for the day. Keisuke, you're up first."

Keisuke took careful aim and threw. The kunai soared towards its target making a whistling sound as it went by. _Clang! _The kunai had struck steal, giving the Uchiha an early lead with ten points. Sei was very uncomfortable competing with the pride of the Uchiha clan. He decided that the only thing to do was let the Keisuke win. Wanting to make it seem as realistic as possible, Sei took careful aim right below his first kunai. He was just about to send his weapon flying when his opponent stopped him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Keisuke asked as he glared at Sei. This did not sit well with the instructor.

"Keisuke, just let him throw his kunai without any distractions. There's no honor in –" the instructor never got to finish.

"Shut up you moron! These pasts two weeks have been a waste of time! You're lucky I bother coming to class everyday and stay awake for your boring lectures!" This had the class gasping in shock. Kyu and Nawaki, however, were both simultaneously nodding their agreement. "Just when I think I can't take anymore of your lame-ass drills, you finally give me something interesting to do, but this retard is trying to miss on purpose!" He turned his attention back to Sei.

"As I was saying. What do you think you're doing? You're supposed to be this super genius that has every shinobi in every corner of the village afraid for their lives about whether you're a spy or a demon in disguise. You have the Uchiha clan worried that you may one day surpass even the most elite of our family. I had all these pictures in my head of what you'd be like when we met, but all I see is a wimpy coward!"

Sei had been through a lot in his life. He had put up with a much and had been called many names and had dismissed all of it. However, being called a coward struck a nerve. His body already turned towards the Uchiha and a deadly glare plastered on his face, Sei threw the kunai without even looking at the target. _Clang!_

"If you want my best, then my best is what you'll get. Just don't come crying to me when I whoop your sorry ass!"

Keisuke donned a characteristic Uchiha smile and said, "Bring it on."

_Clang!...Clang!...Clang!...Clang!...**Thunk!...**Clang!...Clang!...Clang!...**Thunk!..**.Clang!...Clang!...Clang!...Clang!  
...Clang!...Clang!...Clang!...Clang!...Clang!_

The game was over. Keisuke managed to earn ninety points, but Sei, who did not miss hitting the kunai once, had a perfect score of one-hundred. The class was silent to see an Uchiha lose to a kid without any prestigious background. Keisuke, on the other hand, seemed thrilled after losing. "I have a feeling the Academy is going to be very interesting from now on. I'm looking forward to our next match. There's no way I'm letting you win twice." He then coolly walked to the wall and leaned against it.

The instructor, who was still in shock from one of his students telling him to shut up, decided to move on to the next activity. Kyu and Nawaki waited patiently for the rules of the next game. "Alright, we're going to move on to the next activity. This is going to involve everyone, including those that just participated in the target practice, except for Sei and Keisuke. When we're done, everyone who hasn't done the target practice will take their turn."

"Why the hell are we doing it like that!" a brave student shouted from the crowd.

"Because I said so damnit!" He cleared his throat and continued. "You will each be practicing hand-to-hand combat using kunai. First, I want each of you to pick an opponent."

Nawaki was just about to pair up with Kyu when the girl walked over to the Hyuga and tapped him on the shoulder. "I challenge you. If I win, you have to apologize to that boy you pushed in the hall." The white-eyed Hiashi glared at her with his all-seeing eyes. "Fine, I accept. But if I win, you have to drink toilet water from the men's restroom."

"Once you have a partner, I want each of you to grab one of these special kunai." He pointed at another cart that had many differently colored kunai. Hiashi grabbed a blue one and Kyu chose pink, smiling evilly as she did so. "These kunai are the same weight and shape of a normal kunai. However, as you can plainly see, the tip is not sharp and will only mark your opponent's clothing. You will have five minutes to mark your opponent as many times as possible."

"_READ!"_

Hiashi turned to his opponent, as did everyone else. "Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're a girl," he said.

"_SET!_"

There was a hint of malice in Kyu's eyes. "Don't think I'll go easy on you because you're ugly."

"_BEGIN!_"

Hiashi took the offensive, striking with lightning fast speed, but Kyu merely smiled, evading each and every attack. Hiashi was amazed at her speed, but if she didn't attack soon she would lose as well. After four minutes the Hyuga heir began sweating profusely though he never let up on his advances, increasing the speed of his strike with each attempt. Still, not a single attack landed and time was almost up.

"_Five_…_Four_…_Three_…_Two_…_One_! Times up boys and girls! Lower your weapons!"

Much to Hiashi's surprise, Kyu was beaming with pride. "What are you smiling about? You didn't even try to hit me." Kyu merely pointed and said one word in a very cutesy manner.

"Kitty."

Hiashi looked down at the front of his shirt, and to his horror he saw a pink cat drawn in the center. But this was no ordinary doodle. The cat was large and very detailed. The cat was sitting down and it had paws, and pointy ears, and whiskers, and even a tail that seamed to have in the air. It seemed that each time he lashed at her she would add a little detail of her drawing, and since her strikes were so fast, she only seemed to be dodging.

"The boy you shoved is over there." Kyu pointed at another student. "Try to be sincere when you apologize."

"And if I ever see you do something that cruel again…" Hiashi stared at the girl without blinking. Still, she seemed to disappear and reappear uncomfortably close to him with a kunai held to his throat. For the first time in the boy's life, Hyuga Hiashi was afraid. The girl whispered into his ear, only this time, instead of the sweet-sounding voice she used before, her voice was harsh and laced with hostility. "…_I'll carve that cat into your cold, dead carcass._"


End file.
